How many courses?

[NoMercy]

Can someone please tell me how people manage 3 courses at a dinner?

I cannot even manage 2. I have barely eaten today (perhaps a cracker) and yet, when U ate a plate of roast lamb, veg and gravy, I felt like I was going to explode?

I cannot fathom how the bejesus people eat puddings etc after their dinner.

[chrissa1]

Small portions?

[NoMercy]

When I ate a plate of roast lamb...

[albaqwerty]

Small portions of each. I don't understand the 5 or more courses in a meal.

[NoMercy]

I am not into big portions, Chrissa.

[4getmenot]

I hardly ever have pudding, but a starters always good

[boxtops]

You get through it by taking a long time to eat your meal. We had three courses at Christmas and it took six hours....

I can't normally cope with three - I have either starter and mains, or mains and dessert. My sister often has starter and dessert.

[B00]

I often state I can't manage a pudding, until I actually see what it is- then I quickly change my mind, ALWAYS room for a pudd.

[B00]

6 hours??? Seriously? Corrr!

[boxtops]

Yerrrse.... we sat down at 3pm and we finished at 9pm!

[albaqwerty]

Hallo Barry, nice to see you :)

[sherrardk]

I sometimes have two starters (as that equals a main course) plus a dessert - but only when we are out. I am usually a really poor eater but I do occassionally have a massive meal if it is something I really like.

[vodkancoke]

Christmas Day for us can be 4 or 5 courses but we can be sat there until midnight chatting, I love it lol

A typical Italian wedding can have up to 15 courses...which is obscene!

Tomorrow we are having 3 courses but again it will be over a long period of time. I cant go to a restaurant and have 3 courses because you are quite often rushed and I would have no room lol

[boxtops]

who's Barry?

[B00]

Corrr, honestly, i'd be chomping at the bit having to sit at a table for 6+ hours, with me it's a case of "gimme food, gimme now", then I'm orrrf.

'ow do Alba, Barry sends a bit squidgy kiss your way ;-)

[B00]

<<Barry the Blobfish

[grasscarp]

In a way Nomercy I agree with you. Yesterday I managed two courses in a pub lunch, but only as it was the only meal I had in the day (bar some cereal) and I dont usually go beyond one.

[boxtops]

Thanks B00, I didn't realise he had a name :-)

It makes a huge change these days for me to loiter over a meal. OH was brought up in a family where meals were social occasions - my family eating history sounds like B00, we went to a feeding station, ate and left as rapidly as possible.

[Eve]

Maybe partly upbringing or what people are used to if they are used to eating three courses.

My dad will often have a small bowl of soup then main and dessert for a main meal but none of them are large portions because of that. Dessert may well just be a piece of fruit.

My mum eats very little though and I only usually have a main or something like soup and a sandwich if that classes.

If I go for a multi course meal out though I'd look for smaller things to compensate and take my time over eating.

When I was working in France it was routine for the family I lived with to have a soup then main then cheese/yoghurt etc... for both meals - eating was a big thing, all the family home and sat round the table for a proper non-rushed meal - no tray on lap watching the TV or eating on the go.

The school I was at had a two hour lunch break and it was seen as strange if you didn't go home to eat with your family.

[JonnyBoy12]

I am afraid I found this question very 'coarse'!

[NoMercy]

Well sorry to offend you, Jonny... Actually, no I'm not... ;-)